


I help you hate me

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Break Up, M/M, Meddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 08:43:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13267812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: Arthur and Merlin broke up. Arthur does everything he can to help Merlin hate him.





	I help you hate me

**Author's Note:**

> Due to different time zones, it's the best-beta-in-the-world's birthday today. So I thought I'd write something. 
> 
> When I listened to Sunrise Avenue's song 'I help you hate me' on the radio on my commute from work, the plot bunny was there. Well, basically, Sunrise Avenue provided me with it. So I took the liberty to steal their title and yeah, their lyrics, too. I hope they don't hate me for it.
> 
> To make a long speech short: Happy birthday, issy!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> (And no, even though this isn't beta'd, you don't need to do it. it's your birthday, hon!)

Leon raised an eyebrow when he saw Arthur struggling into his jeans. “Did you put on some weight?”

“Are you calling me fat?”

“Let me put it this way. That ring there,” Gwaine pointed at Arthur’s belly, “It could save your life in case you drowned. Floaty…” 

“Good.” 

“Good?” Leon exchanged a look with Gwaine. 

“Yup, this way he won’t find me attractive anymore.” Arthur didn’t even bother to look into the mirror after he pulled the t-shirt over his head. “Let’s go.”

+++

In the pub, they stood at a table and were already at their second round when Lance and Gwen joined them. 

“Whoa, Arthur!”

“What?”

Lance made a face. “That’s by far the most horrible t-shirt you own, why haven’t you gotten rid of it a long time ago?”

“And more importantly: Why are you wearing it tonight?” Gwen shuddered.

Arthur shrugged. “He hates it.”

Gwen rolled her eyes and didn’t even mention Arthur’s longish and unkempt hair. 

“He’s here, of course.” Arthur sipped his beer when Merlin and Percy entered the place and turned around so he didn’t see them anymore.

+++

“What is wrong with you?” Leon had cornered Arthur in the corridor that led to the gent’s. 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh, come on. You are always so sensitive when it comes to your weight and now you stuff your face with junk food every night?”

Elyan, who had joined them later, gestured. “If that poor button gives up and injures someone, Arthur, you’re in real trouble. And what’s with the whole appearance. Not even you are usually that lazy.”

“When was the last time you’ve got a decent haircut?” Gwaine flicked his hair back over his shoulder. “You’re doing this on purpose.”

Arthur looked from one to the other. “Yes.”

“Why on earth are you doing this?” Leon demanded to know.

“He hates me.”

The others exchanged looks. Nobody needed to ask who ‘he’ was. Arthur had broken up with Merlin not too long ago and Merlin didn’t take it well. Whenever they were in the same room Merlin either ignored Arthur or glared daggers at him. 

“You know he’d rather see me dead. Figured, I was a bit young to die, so I’m…helping him get over me.”

“Wha…?” Gwaine blinked.

“Excuse me?” Leon frowned and Elyan and just stared. “You’re…what?”

“He loved my defined body…so I got rid of it. He loved my hair…so I grow it out and don’t take care of it.”

“He hates the t-shirt and the ugly profile pic you put up on facebook lately?”

Arthur nodded. “He’ll get over me eventually.”

Leon rolled his eyes and Gwaine stomped off after he growled audibly. 

+++

“He’s such an idiot.” 

Leon nodded. “I don’t agree with you often, but you’re right, Gwaine. How can he do that? To himself? To Merlin? To everybody?”

“I have no idea why they broke up in the first place.” Gwen leaned against Lance and looked sad. “They were so perfect together.”

“Percy said, Merlin said it was actually a minor thing. Something not really important that got blown out of proportion.” Elyan sipped his beer. 

“Did he say how Merlin is doing? I hate this. We were all together on pub nights. Now someone always has to babysit Arthur and someone else has to take care of Merlin.” Lance wrapped his arm around Gwen’s shoulder. “It’s your turn next weekend, Leon, right?”

“Yes, it is.” Leon glanced over to where Percy was in a discussion with Merlin, using an unusual amount of gestures, pointing to their table once in a while. “I miss them.”

“So…let me get this straight,” Gwen started. “Arthur is doing all of this so Merlin will fall out of love with him?”

“Yes.”

“That’s kind of sweet…in its own twisted way.” 

“He’s talking about him a lot. Basically…constantly.” Gwaine ran a hand through his hair. 

“You don’t talk about someone you don’t care about anymore.” Elyan looked around to see if Arthur was coming back and missed that both Gwaine and Leon perked up.

“You’re absolutely right!” Leon’s face lit up. 

“And we have to do something about it!” Gwaine was practically bouncing on his feet. 

As soon as Arthur reappeared at the table, Leon put his arm around his shoulder and before Arthur knew what was happening, he and Gwaine had shoved Arthur over to Merlin’s table and into a chair. Percy got up right away and the three of them blocked the way.

“Looks like they got their own bodyguards.” Gwen grinned for a moment. 

Elyan nodded. “I think I should go over and help them.”

Lance chuckled. “Maybe we should just take our drinks and make an escape for them impossible?”

“They really need to talk, but…maybe not with all of us listening?” Gwen made a face.

“We can talk amongst ourselves, we don’t have to listen in on them. Just make sure that they can’t get away before they have spoken.”

Gwen smiled, they took their glasses and made their way over as well. 

 

 

 

(And later, after Arthur had taken a detour via the barber shop and gotten a new t-shirt, he and Merlin made their way over to Issy's birthday party, where he only had some salad and some fruit and stuck to drinking water. He needed to get his toned body back, so Merlin would love him even more.)


End file.
